Rail-joint.



PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

A. L. PLIMPTON.

RAIL JOINT.

APrLIoATIoN FILED JUNE 9,1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR L. PLIMPTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR TO ATLAS RAILWAYSUPPLY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 1 1, 190e.

Application filed June 9,1905. Serial No. 264.375.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. PLIMPTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of SuHolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to joints between adjacent rails of a railway, andparticularly to the repairing of such a joint between rails one of whichhas become worn by use.

To this end my invention consists, broadly, in stepping up one of therail ends and alining its tread with that of the other rail end; and itfurther consists in the features of joint construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

I hereinafter describe a rail-joint embodying my invention and thenpoint out the novel features in the claims, having reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which` similar characters of referenceindicate similar parts throughout the various views, of which- Figure lis a side elevation of a rail-joint to which `my invention is to beapplied. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a rail-joint to which my inventionhas been applied, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, I and 2 indicate the ends of two similar rails. It willbe understood that the direction of travel is from rail end 1 to railend 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, 4 is the ordinary splicebar or fish-plate, and 6 Gthe bolts securing the joint. The wear of the joint has been found toproduce a depression upon the tread of the receiving rail end at a pointbeyond the juncture of the rail end, as shown at 3a in Fig. l, andshould the oint be continued in use in the condition shown in Fig. 1great damage would result in the operation of the railroad. Of coursesuch a defect may be remedied by replacing rail 2 3 but in order toobviate that expense and the expense and impracticability of welding thetwo rail ends 1 and 2 together I have provided the following method ofrepairing the rail-joint: I raise the rail end 2 so that its depressedportion 3a is in substantial alinement with the tread of rail end l andhold said rail end 2 in that raised position by an upset or angularfishplate 4 and cut off the portion 3 3 of rail end 2. This cutting offof the portion 3 3 of rail end 2 may be accomplished in various wayswithout departing from my invention. Said portions may be planed off orthey may be allowed to be worn away or crushed down by the wheels of thetrains moving over the joint.

It will be understood that in Fig. 2 .I have shown a joint in whichbase-support is furnished -to the rail ends, the particular ointillustrated being of what is known as the suspended type, provided withtruss-bolts 6@ extending below the base of the rail, and being alsoprovided with vertical Webs 7 7 of suitable configuration to make theoint one of great strength.

It will be understood, however, that I do not limit my invention to theparticular style of joint, whether suspended or supported, webbed, orplain; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The process of repairing rail-joints which consists of raising theworn rail, removably holding the same in raised position, and cuttingdown its tread.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination of a normal rail end, a rail endworn by traffic, with means for removably holding the cut-down tread ofthe worn rail end in alinement with the tread of the other rail end.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

ARTHUR L. PLIMPTON.

In presence of- GILBERT O. BURNHAM, VARREN RICHARDSON.

